Apparatus for the flue curing of tobacco



April 8, 1969 F. w. THOMAS 3,437,323

\ APPARATUS FOR THE FLUE CURING OF TOBACCO Filed NOV. 28, 1966 Sheet of2 Fig./

Frank W. Thomas I N VEN TOR.

April 8, 1969 F. w. THOMAS 3,437,323

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUE CURING 0F TOBACCO Filed Nov. 28, 1966 Sheet Z of2 Fig. 2

/ If I i Frank W. Thomas :HMWMWQQMMWQQMQ Q INVENTOR. M m I I I g 4Anomq:

United States Patent 3,437,323 APPARATUS FOR THE FLUE CURING 0F TOBACCOFrank W. Thomas, 510 Railroad Ave., Kingstree, S.C. 29556 Filed Nov. 28,1966, Ser. No. 597,350 Int. Cl. F231 9/04 US. Cl. 263-19 7 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An upwardly directed conical baflle overlyinga heating unit in spaced relation thereover. A downwardly directed fanis mounted over the baffle for effecting a downward flow of air onto thebaflle which in turn deflects the air laterally outward for heating andcirculating throughout a barn or the like. Duct means is provided forselectively communicating the fan with the exterior of the barn.

This invention generally appertains to new and useful improvements inthe curing of tobacco and more particularly relates to a novel methodand apparatus for the flue curing of tobacco in a barn.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for the flue curing of tobacco in a barn whereby air is forceddownwardly and upwardly in a continuous recirculation free flowthroughout the entire barn so that the air is circulated downwardly andupwardly throughout the entire interior of the barn and through theleaves of tobacco which are hung on sticks placed on tiers in the barn.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novelmethod and apparatus for the flue curing of tobacco whereby air iscontinuously circulated throughout the entire interior of the barn andthrough the tobacco from a single location in the barn with heatingmeans disposed at such location for heating the air so that the heatedair is distributed through the barn and rises to the top of the barnthrough and along the leaves of tobacco and returns to the singlelocation for continuous recirculation.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novelmethod and means for the flue curing of tobacco in a barn wherebyambient atmospheric air is drawn from the exterior of the barn to asingle location in the barn and is circulated downwardly and upwardly ina continuous circulating free flow throughout the entire barn andthrough the tobacco from such single location.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide atobacco curing method and apparatus which is extremely simple and highlyeflicient in operation and which assures a proper circulation of air inthe entire interior of the barn and to all of the leaves of tobaccowhich are hung on sticks placed on tiers in the barn.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide anextremely inexpensive, from an installation, maintenance and operationstandpoint, method and means for curing tobacco and to provide anextremely simple method and means which remains eflicient in operationat all stages during the curing of the tobacco so as to obviate anydamage to the tobacco and to properly condition the tobacco and cure itin proper order.

A meritorious feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof a conical hood or baflle member which overlies a heating chamber invertically spaced relationship therewith and which is provided with fanmeans operatively disposed above the apex of the convex surface of theconical hood and with means in association with the fan means andoperative to selectively communicate the fan means with the ambientatmospheric air exteriorly of the barn, the fan being operative to moveair currents downwardly and outwardly over the convex surface of thehood with the air currents being heated in the process and being forcedby the fan means in a continuous recirculating free flow downwardly andupwardly throughout the entire barn and through the tobacco and toprovide means for selectivel communicating the fan means with theambient atmospheric air so that fresh air may be drawn into the barn bythe fan means and passed downwardly over the hood and throughout theentire barn. The utilization of ambient atmospheric air allows a muchquicker cooling off of the barn interior after the heating process hasbeen completed and also functions for the purpose of conditioning thetobacco with moisture so that the tobacco is placed in proper order. Inother words, when the tobacco has become too dry, means is providedwhereby, particularly during the early mornings when there is a dew, thefan means draws in ambient atmospheric air exteriorly of the barn andcirculates this air in the same manner that the fan means circulates theheated air so that the tobacco is properly and orderly and quicklyconditioned, at a minimum of expense and in a manner requiring theexpenditure of a minimum amount of manual labor.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a tobacco curing apparatus,constructed in accordance with the present invention, and adapted to bedisposed at one location within a barn for forcing air downwardly andupwardly in a continuous recirculating free flow throughout the entirebarn and through the tobacco from such single location;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view, takensubstantially on line 22 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating by means of thearrows, the operation of the fan means both in connection with theparticular flow circulation of heated air as well as the intake and flowcirculation of atmospheric air;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the fan means of the apparatus of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, detailed vertical sectional view, takensubstantially on line 44 of FIGURE 1, and,

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the apparatus of the presentinvention in its location within a tobacco barn and showingdiagrammatically the flow path of the heated air, the cool atmosphericair or a mixture of both with the air flowing in a continuousrecirculation free manner downwardly and upwardly throughout the entirebarn and through the tobacco.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, andinitially to FIGURE 5, the reference numeral 10 generally designates atobacco barn within the interior 12 of which a plurality of leaves oftobacco 14 are hung on sticks placed on tiers in the barn.

The present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 16,is disposed at one single location within the interior of the barn,preferably centrally lo cated within the interior of the barn andconstitutes the sole source of air distribution throughout the entireinterior of the barn and upwardly along and through the leaves oftobacco 14.

The apparatus 16 is designed and formed so as to function as the solesource of air currents, either hot air, mixed hot air and coolatmospheric air or ambient atmospheric air alone from the exterior ofthe barn. The apparatus 16 functions from one location to force airdownwardly and upwardly in a continuous recirculating free flowthroughout the entire interior 12 of the barn and through the tobacco 14as indicated by the arrows 18.

The apparatus 16, as shown more particularly in FIG- URES 1 through 4,essentially comprises a conical hood or bafile member which ishorizontally disposed at a height above the floor surface 21 of theinterior of the barn 12 and is in structural association at its concaveundersurface 22 with a cylindrically shaped heating chamber 24. The hood20 is spaced vertically above the open upper end 26 of the heatingchamber 24 by means of vertical interconnecting and spacing bars 28. Thebars 28 are spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical heatingchamber 24 and have lower end portions 30 which are fixed to the innersurface 32 of the wall of the heating chamber, in any suitable fashion,as by welding 34. The bars 28 are coextensive in height and have upperend portions 36 which are suitably secured, as by welding 38, to theconcave undersurface 22 of the conical hood 20. The upper end portions36 are spaced evenly inwardly from the peripheral or circumferentialedge portion 40 of the hood and the circumferential edge portionoverhangs the open end 26 of the heating chamber 24, as shownparticularly in FIGURE 2. The bars 28 support the hood in a horizontalposition and are coextensive in length so that the hood is supportedthroughout its entire portion at the same level above the open end 26 ofthe hood with the bars 28 being spaced equidistantly apart, around thecircumference of the heating chamber 24 so as to provide outlet spaces42 for the rising hot air currents, indicated by the arrows 44 in FIGURE2, which air currents rise from the interior of the heating chamber 24.

The heating chamber 24 is supported in a vertically adjustable manner byground engaging support means 46, shown more particularly in FIGURE 4.In this respect, the lower end portion 48 of the heating chamber 24 isprovided adjacent its open lower end 50 with vertically orientatedtubular sleeves 52 which are suitably fastened, as by welding 54, to theexterior surface of the lower portion of the heating chamber. Supportingstandards or legs 56 are provided and include elongated rod portions 58having annular feet 60 provided on their lower ends with the rods 58slidably disposed within the vertical bores 62 in the sleeves and beinglocked in adjusted positions by setscrews 64.

The open lower end 50 of the heating chamber 24 accommodates therein acylindrically shaped burner 66 which is spaced radially inwardly fromthe inner surface 32 of the wall of the heating chamber 24 with the openlower end 50 being spaced in adjustable fashion above the ground level21, as shown clearly in FIGURE 2. The burner unit 66 rests on the groundand has an open upper end 68 from which the air currents 44 rise and thecylindrically shaped burner 66 is connected to a vaporizer 70 by meansof a tube or conduit 72 which radially communicates with and isconnected to a suitable opening in the lower portion of the side wall ofthe cylindrically shaped burner 66. A fuel supply line 74, which extendsfrom any suitable source of forced fuel feed, is connected to thevaporizer 70 which dispenses through the conduit 72 the fuel whichenters the burner 66 where combustion takes place with the hot aircurrents 44 rising vertically from the open upper end 68 of the burner66 within the heating chamber 24 and passing outwardly through thespaces 42, as shown clearly in FIGURE 2.

The heating chamber 24 is situated above the ground level 21 so as toadmit a substantial supply of secondary air and is supported by the legs56 which can support the heating chamber at various levels. The hood 20is located above the open upper end of the heating chamber 24 and, inaccordance with an important feature of the present invention, fan means76 is provided and is disposed vertically above the upper convex side 79of the hood.

The fan means or assembly 76 comprises a cylindrical reticulated shellor housing 78, which is supported by vertically upstanding rods 80attached at circumferentially spaced points and having upper exteriorlythreaded end portion 82 which are attached to an annular collar 84having an internal upstanding annular flange 86. A pair of parallelsupport or brace bars 88 and 90, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 3,are secured to the collar and are adjusted vertically by virtue of theattachment of the collar to the upper threaded end portions 82 of theupstanding supporting rods which are attached to the collar by thelocknuts 92. The brace bars 88 and 90 extend diametrically of the collarin spaced parallel relation and support the housing 94 of an electricmotor 96, which depends therefrom. In this respect, the housing 94 isprovided at its upper end with upstanding threaded bolts 98 which arepassed through suitable apertures in the brace bars and locknuts 100 areprovided to anchor the motor 96 in a vertically depending position andin a positive centrally orientated position within the reticulatedcylindrical shell or housing 78. Fan blades 102 are carried by a centerhub 104 that is fixed on the depending armature shaft 106 of the motorso that the fan blades are disposed horizontally and rotate in ahorizontal position slightly above the apex 108 of the hood and forceair currents, identified by the arrows 110 in FIGURE 2 downwardly andoutwardly over the upper convex surface of the hood to mix with andcarry the hot air currents 44 and force the same downwardly andoutwardly in the path indicated by the arrows 18 in FIGURE 5, with theair currents returning, as identified by the arrows 112 in FIGURE 2 sothat the continuous free air flow throughout the entire barn and throughthe tobacco in downwardly and upwardly fashion, as indicated by thearrows 18 of FIGURE 5, is obtained.

The upper end of the shell or housing is closed off by a cover 114,which has a central opening 116 defined by an upstanding annular collar118 to which the lower end 120 of the connecting elbow section 122 of anair conduit or tubing 124 is attached. The conduit or duct 124 extendsthrough the wall of the barn and is exposed to the ambient atmosphericair exteriorly of the barn and the exteriorly extending portion 126 isprovided with a control damper 128, which may be manually operated ormay be operated and controlled by a motor and control means of anydesired type. The fresh air duct 124 is covered with fiber glassinsulation 130 which controls a moisture build-up on the fresh air ducthelping minimize the amount of moisture absorbed in the barn.

As aforedescribed, the operation of the apparatus is extremely simple.It involves the combustion of fuel in the combustion chamber 68 whichcauses hot air currents 44 to rise and the fan produces the air currents110 which are forced downwardly and outwardly and mixed with the hot aircurrent 44 so that heated air currents in a continuous recirculationfree flow are forced downwardly and outwardly from a single location inthe barn throughout the entire barn and through the tobacco from thesingle location, as shown in FIGURE 5. The fan forces the heatdownwardly and outwardly throughout the entire barn so that the tobaccois flue cured in a complete, positive and certain manner and with theuse of less fuel. The curing process of tobacco is effected in a shortertime and at a lower general temperature which will be maintainedthroughout the interior of the barn.

In addition to or in association with, depending upon variouscircumstances, fresh air can be drawn into the barn by opening thedamper 128 and the fan will function to draw the fresh air currentsidentified by the arrows 132 in FIGURE 2 into the interior of the barnand such will be forced downwardly and outwardly over the upper convexsurface of the conical hood.

It is proposed that the burner will be shut down and the air currents132 will be drawn in and circulated solely by themselves in the samemanner as indicated by the arrows 18 in FIGURE 5. This would allow amuch quicker cooling off of the barn after the heating process has beencompleted and it could also be used for the purpose of conditioning thetobacco with moisture so as to render the tobacco in proper order. Thismerely means that when tobacco has become too dry, the damper 128 can beopened, usually during the early morning hours when there is a dew, andthis permits the moist atmospheric air to be drawn in and circulatedthroughout the barn and through the tobacco which has been dried to toogreat an extereme so that the tobacco becomes more moist and can behandled.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An apparatus for the flue curing of tobacco in a barn comprising asubstantially conical baffle member, means positioning said conicalbafile member in a horizontally disposed raised position with its convexsurface facing upwardly, fan means mounted above the apex of the convexsurface and arranged to force air currents downwardly for an outwarddirecting thereof by said convex surface, heating means disposedsu'bjacent the baffle member in vertically spaced relation with the concave surface thereof, and means connected to the fan means forselectively communicating the fan means with the ambient atmospheric airexteriorly of the barn.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means connected to the fanmeans for communicating the fan means with the atmosphere exteriorly ofthe barn includes duct means having one end in communication with thefan means and the second end adapted for positioning exteriorly of thebarn, and damper means located within said duct means.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said fan means is mounted on andsupported by the bafile member above the apex of the convex surface toforce air downwardly and outwardly over the convex surface throughoutthe entire barn with the fan means being formed for drawing such airback in to establish a recirculation flow of air downwardly andoutwardly throughout the entire barn.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said heating means includes asubstantially annular heating chamber, means mounting the heatingchamber above the ground level, and a burner unit located within thelower end of the heating chamber said mounting means for the heatingchamber being vertically adjustable.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein supporting means is provided forthe baffle member and carried by the heating chamber and disposes theconcave surface of the baffle member vertically above the heatingchamber.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said supporting means includesvertical bars arranged in spaced apart relation and said heating chamberhaving an open upper end with heat currents rising through said upperend and radiating out through the spaces between said bars and beingcaptured and moved by air currents from the fan means.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said heating chamber issubstantially cylindrical and said baffie member has its concave faceextending radially beyond the open upper end of the heating chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,214,503 9/1940 Landis 263-492,569,084 9/1951 White 263-19 3,367,643 2/1968 Copeland 263l9 FREDERICKL. MAT'FESON JR., Primary Examiner. EDWARD G. FAVORS, AssistantExaminer.

